Update
KNYSNA NEWS - The DA's Western Cape minister of economic opportunities Alan Winde found himself at the receiving end of frustrated citizens during a DA public meeting held at Knysna High School on Monday night for Ward 9 and 10 residents.
The minister was addressing fewer than a hundred residents who attended the public meeting to hear DA member of parliament John Steenhuisen speak. Following Steenhuisen's speech and a short Q & A session, residents insisted that the subject of the Knysna fires be discussed before the meeting was closed.
Fiery discussion
This last topic of the night proved to be a fiery discussion, as residents demanded that the issue of millions of rands' worth of funds donated to Knysna be addressed and resolved so that "people can go on with their lives" – amid accusations that the Knysna municipality is corrupt.
“No one has received any funds. The people of Knysna, the victims, are still waiting. What has happened to the millions of rands in funds given to the municipality?” a member of the public asked.
Winde initially stated that the replacement of asbestos pipes will cost in the region of R40-million rand, and was told in response that there is a fund with that amount collected but that the community has not seen it.
Poor attendance
“There's been all these promises but nothing has transpired. No one has been helped after the fires. Look around, residents of Ward 10 were the hardest affected by the fires, but hardly anyone has come to the meeting,” a KRA member commented.
“Do you want us to come back here and have a discussion just about the fires?” Winde asked Sam Lurie, who is a member of KRA.
“No, I want to set up a meeting with yourself so we can give you the information that we have at our disposal,” was the reply.
Pressed for time and already over the allocated time limit, Winde agreed to this as a step in the right direction.
“Ok. Let's set up the meeting,” he concluded.
There was no immediate indication as to when this meeting will take place, but the KRA expressed that this could be the trigger that will finally result in the funds being released to fire victims.
Read a previous article: Residents pepper DA with 'fire fund' questions
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